Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters.
Author: I apologize for the wait. This chapter may even be a three-parter, but I wanted to post something so people didn't think I'd quit. I didn't by the way. Enjoy.
Natasha did not look at Steve as he dragged away. She did not watch as the specters bound Thor to a chair on the far side of the hall. She concentrated on Clint's hand on her forearm and shoulder; the strength of his steadfast and knowing fingers pressing her deeper into the cavernous chamber. She took comfort in the familiar feeling of his calloused hands and the sureness with which he commanded his strength. Without seeing his vacuous blue eyes she could imagine it was her partner, the Clint she knew and trusted; for a moment at least.
Clint abruptly shoved her forward. Blood from the wound on her left eyebrow momentarily obscured the room in a vicious red canopy. She blinked to clear it and wiped the stinging cut with the back of her hand.
Standing in the center of the room she felt exposed. She was used to being hunched in the shadows, cloaked by night's shroud. In the center of the room, heavily punctuated by torches, she seemed to have no escape from the light.
Clint brushed passed her and took his place at Loki's side. He smirked at her in a satisfied way that reminded her of Loki. It was good. She needed to remember that Loki was the one controlling him. Though his hands were familiar, he was a marionette for Loki's black diversions.
"Was that roughness necessary, Clint?" Loki asked, seating himself in the posh throne.
""I kind think roughness is always necessary if you want to have a little fun. Don't you?" Clint returned good-naturedly.
Clint was always making smart-ass comments at the least opportune moments to break the tension. Usually Natasha found it a comfort to see that no matter how bad she thought it was, there was no situation in which Clint couldn't make a joke. But in the moment it made her stomach roll. He was in there. If he could retain his sense of humor, then his heart was in there as well. He was not a husk, and empty vessel, below the surface he was still inside. She remembered when he'd seemed to have shaken the spell earlier. Could he see her now?
"Yes, as a matter of fact I do." Loki said his eyes sweeping over Natasha's enduring form. He smiled at her fortitude. He did enjoy that something so frail could appear so strong.
He took languid, measured steps toward her and did not stop until he was closed enough for his breath to tremble the wild curls on top of her head. She looked up at him defiantly, daring him to make his next move.
She nearly flinched when he raised his hand to her face and traced the abrasion on her forehead. His fingertips withdrew coated in red.
"You humans are so breakable." He sighed.
"Is that what you brought me out here for?" She asked. Her lips were a harsh line and they ached from the tension of withholding her fear and anger. She has asked the question without the least bit of apprehension. She almost rather he got out the rack and started the show right now. If he was going to do it she just wanted it to happen quickly. She hated waiting; waiting was the most painful part.
"No." Loki smiled and brushed his blood stained hand through her hair. Without warning, his fingers locked. He yanked her head to the side and before she realized it she was on the ground. Pain burst over her back in a seething wave. Before she could swing at Loki, he drew his staff and placed it threateningly over her left breast. Panic seeped into her at the sight of the weapon. She twisted even as his hand held firmly to her hair and his knee pinned her legs. She'd never expected Loki do this. The closeness, the personal nature of the actions caught her off guard. He didn't fight with his hands. He used magic from a distance; there was no need for this intimate style of fighting. He had chosen this; his closeness, the press of his body was a weapon in and of itself to frighten her. Clint must have told him everything about her past. It made her blood cook in her veins.
"Sh-sh. Hush." He released her hair but lightly pressed the staff into her heaving chest. His long fingers coursed over her cheek with the tenderness of a lover. She shook with rage, but refused to speak, to give him the satisfaction of seeing how much he'd gotten to her.
"You have always been by yourself, have you not? Never letting anyone close, never letting anyone inside."
Natasha stared past him into the exposed jet black sky at the center of the dome.
Loki lowered his mouth down to hear ear and she felt his moist lips graze the shell of her ear.
"I can fix that."
She choked out a breath. She never wanted to kill anyone so badly in her life.
Loki pressed the staff and conjured a spell. There was no time for Natasha to scream. She blinked once and her eyes flashed a brilliant, icy blue. She was no longer alone.
Thor had feared that his brother had killed her until he saw her wide eyes blazing with an unnatural fire. His heart ached for her. As he looked into her pale, emotionless face he knew Loki had enslaved her.
"Loki! Free her and Barton. They have souls! Can you not see this? How are you so very blind brother?" Thor asked. "How can you claim to be showing me the evil of humans when you enslave them? "
Loki stood and offered Natasha a hand. She took it.
"Thank you." She said brushing her hair from her face. Loki chuckled lightly; he had tamed the lioness with hardly any effort. Even the strongest willed humans took to slavery with ease; it was comfortable for them. It pleased him immensely to be proven right.
"You may sit." He offered graciously and she compliantly took the leather seat Steve had formerly occupied.
Loki slowly turned to back to Thor. Thor noticed that he seemed more drained than just moments before. Perhaps the use of magic was affecting him after all.
"Is she hurt? Did I maim her? I have done nothing to harm her. She is kinder and more amiable than before." Loki nearly dropped into his throne and rubbed his temples. Thor's continued stupidity was tedious.
"No. Loki, taking her free will from her is wrong. Humans are wonderful creatures because they have the capacity to reason and choose." Thor said earnestly.
Loki stared at the ground for a moment, contemplating Thor's argument. Anger flared in his chest; the flame was insistent and consuming.
"Brother, I will show you the burden of free will. These human's suffer everyday as a result of this freedom. It is like an adder in their hands, at any moment it will turn itself on its master and poison them." Loki looked up fondly at Clint who stood patiently beside him. He raised the staff to Clint's chest and conjured.
For the first time in days, Clint breathed free air.
Author: Check back for part 2/3 soon and yeah, that's where it's going to be getting kind of scary, so Pilgrims consider yourselves warned. I hope you all enjoyed it. Please review. Thanks so much for reading!
